Low back disorders of the spine have been a cause of pain and discomfort since the dawn of recorded history. These disorders have been associated with the disease and displacement of the intervertebral disc, spinal stenosis, disc degeneration and nerve entrapment syndromes related to narrowing or loss of the intervertebral space. Other conditions causing lower back pain have included acute strains and sprains, facet syndromes, muscle spasms, vertebrae alignment problems and stretched or hypersensitive sciatic nerves. All of these problems and others have been the subject of attempts to ease or eliminate lower back pain.
One of the most common forms of treatment of lower back pain has traditionally been the use of traction provided by a wide variety of devices. Most of these forms of traction are known to be ineffective because of failure to produce enough actual distraction on the spiral joint itself, and by ineffective positioning of the back.
Specialist in the field of back care have recognized that there is a need to provide adequate flexing of the lumbar spinal joints to open up the posterior spinal canal and neuroforamina. This, in turn, relieves the compression of the intervertebral discs and opens up the posterior spinal canal, which increases the room for the spinal cord and nerve roots. Medical studies have shown that disc degeneration and collapse occurs because of the constant compression caused by body weight. Proper traction allows reexpansion of the disc by the interstitial fluid. With knees and hips flexed the sciatic nerve is relaxed, so that in conditions where relief and stretch or tension on the nerve is desirable, the flexion of the hips and knees may be necessary.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide an apparatus to flex and distract the lower lumbar spinal region to relieve compression on the spinal discs and open the posterior spinal canal.
It is also an objective of the invention to provide means for articulation of the spine while in traction.
An additional objective is to facilitate stretching of soft tissues surrounding the lumbar spine in a position which is favorable for sensitive sciatic nerves.
A further objective is to provide a device to gradually increase flexion and traction as the user progresses in his ability to reverse the compressive forces on the lumbar spine and pelvic areas.